The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1887-03-26

In June, 1850, the Legislature Of Penn.
sylvania, believing it was acting for the
benefit of the farming community. passed
law Offering premiums to be paid by
the respective counties of the State fur
the destruction of certain wild animals
aud birds. The premiums were-for
every wild cat, two dollars: red or gray
fox, one dollar: for every mink, weasel.
hawk, or owl, fifty cents. Since this law
was passed of hawks alone killed and
reported to the authorities of tLirty-Gour
counties up to the LIST of June last. the
number was 8 231, at an expense Of 81
335 and of owls 400. at an expense of
Sl3O4. The bounties paid for weasels.
foxes, and wild cats Amounted to So. 1866.
We take these figures from the report of
the West Chester CPenrsylyania) Mi
croScopIcal Society just received. Besides
the bounties paid as above, the returns
from thirty three Othe: counties, which
make up the total number OF counties in
the State, had not been received at the
date OF publication of the society's re-
port, but it was believed by the commit
tee that 1.-THE counties pay annually not
less shan sixty thousand dollars under
the law of 1881, of which She largest palt
is paid for the destruction Of hawks ard
owls. Against these birds there has been
long standing, deep rooted, popular
- . n
ediy TO protect farmers from the ravageS.
1t has now been demonstrated from the
mlcrosc"picai examination made of the
food of these birds by Dr. " arren, the
of agriculture, who is also a member of
the West Chester MicrOscopical Society
that hawks aud owls, and even weasels.
instead of doing injury to the farmer are
really his best friends. OF the eleven
species of hawks most numerous in Penn
sylvania, only three-thc Goshawk, and
two smaller hawks known as "Coopers"
and the sharp Skinned hawk''-ever at
tacks poultry. and even with respect to
them the occ lsional destruction of poul-
try is said to be insignificant in COM
parison with the benefits derived by the
farmer and fruit grower from their de
strnction, in common with all the other
species of hawks, of mice aud other ro-
dents, and of insectivorous pests" OF
the two kinds of weasels in the Eastern
States the smaller kind feeds on mice aud
insects, and Is not known to kill poultry.
The larger preys on mice aud rats, but,
IN addition, sometimes kills rabbits and
poultry. Nevertheless, says Dr.. Merriam
the ornitholosist of the department of
agriculture at Washington, both species
are friends of the farmer, for the loss of
few chickens is of trihIng consequences
compared with the good these animals
are doing in checking the increase of
mice. Repeated examinations of the
food contained in the stomachs of hawks
and owls showed, with one or two excep
tioIS, that it invariably consists of
beetles, grasshoppers, and occasionally
bird. mice and shrews CORRESPONDENCE
"iIi VIC ih'SJ tuilbtDI DinlJbbIDE ISIS OF
the United States, including those con
nected with the agricultural department
and the Smithsonian restitution, fully
confirms the mcrOScnpical Researches of
DIR. Warren. D. Merriam, of the agrl-
cultural department.. expresses Lis "Sur.
prise and indignation hat such "A law as
that of Pennsy lvania should have been
enacted" He regards it as "a melan-
choly comment on the WIDE spread ignnr-
ance that prevails, even among intelh-
gent persons, concerning the food of our
common birds and mammals" The re-
suit OF the investigation is the passage OF
resolution by the West Chester Society
to lay its report before the members OF
the next Pennsylvania Legislature, ac-
companied by Il petition asking the re-
peal OF that portion of the act of 1881
which concerns hawks and ovls.-BaltJ
.NHl.